Veneer jointer



0. c. FENLASON Dec. 21

VENEER JOINTER Filed Oct. .14, 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTCR ATTORNEY WITNESSES V/ENEERJOINTER- 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 21 1926;

- o. c. FENLASON Filed 0013. 14,-'1922 g]! .y o Wile ATTORNEY WITN ESSES 0. c. FENLASON Dec. 21 ,1926.

VENEER JOINTER Filed 0m. 14, 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet s WITN 558 ES Dec. 21,1926.

L61Ll77 o. c. FENLASON VENEER JOINTER Filed Oct. 14; 1922" 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES W I I 1 BY z I M ATTORNEY a I. I INYENTOR Dec. 21 1926.

O. C. FENLASON VENEER JOINTER Filed'Oct 14, 1922 "r Sheets-Sheet s (rmoa, H

INVENTOR,

WITNESSES ATTOR N EY Dec. 21,1926.

' O. C.. -FENLASQN VENEER JOINTER Filed Oct. 14, 1922 '7'Sheets-Sheet e ATTOR N EY wrrwzssss Dec. 21 192s.

, O. C. FENLASON VENEER JOINTER Filed Oct. 14, 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR,

WITNESSES I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

01am 0. FENLAsoN, or roRTLANnonEeoN; JENNIE'C. FENLASON,' nxncurrnix or SAID cam c.;r 1vLAso1v, DECEASED, ASSIGNOB "r0 PORTLAND 'AVENEER MA CHINERY COMPANY, orroarne vn, oaEeor -a coaroaArionor OREGON.

VENEER JoIN'rnP; f

Application filed octets-r114, 1922. j Serial No. 594.552.

This invention "relates to veneer jointers,

and aims principallyito improve the'feeding out mechanism of suchanachines.

Venee'rl ointers as commonly constructed;

include a' knife, a feeding-in mechanism designed to convey thesheets of veneerupto the knife, and a I feeding-out mec'hamsm adapted to carry the jointed or cut sheets away from the knife, Ususallyconveyorchains running horizontally are employed in connection with a vertically reciprocating knife. I i

The present invention'is novel, so far as I am aware, in a number of particulars; First, the conv'eyen chains for the. feed-out run a under the jointerknife. 'seconchtheconveneer'down firmly on the chains.

veyer chains are guided by movable racessothat' the chains, are move'ol. out of contact with the cutting edgeofthe knife. Third, air suction is employed tohold the sheet of These are someof the principal feature'sof my invention. There are'various other features and advantages which will appear in,

the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

,- In the accompanyingdrawmgs forming a part of this specification'thereis shown for illustrativepurposes one of the many forms which my invention may take; I Referring more specificallyito'the' drawin'gs-' 1 Figure 1 is a somewhatldiagrainmatic side. elevation of the'improved veneer ointer;

Figures 2 and 2 taken togetheriform vertical transverse sectional View on asection line 'iieartlie knife;

Figure 3 is a plan View;

7 Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of thatipart of the machine adjacent the knife, and of the off-bearing table; v

'Figure 51s a vertical transverse sect on two portions .of the, mechanism 'byivhichthe -conveyer chain races are lowered before chain 881 jointing and raised thereafter; a

onv the line 88 of Figure 2;

the right side of Figure 9 I be describecl latera H i 7 .v

The feed ng-out or offbearing table 24 is;

Figuresfi and? are detail views showing Figure 8 is a vertical scctlon substa-ri l j I .l in has bee Figure 112 ofFigur'e 9 Figures; 13 ;and l t are-both perspective views of respectively ,a'backing bar and a filling strip used upon the cutting bed;

'.Tl1e' dravvinglillustrates as the preferred embodiment ofthe lnvention a veneer joint; 7

er comprising, as shown'bestin ,1, a

main frame 20., a feeding-in conveyor sup- I port or frame 21, and fa feeding-out conveyer frame forsupport 22. The frames21 and 22'arelof the nature of tables-having topsf23 and 24L respectively, and may here after bejreferredto as such. The tabletop 23 has longitudinalopenings, grooves or the like 25, for receiving the feeding-in chains 26, and cliainslmcshing with idler sprockets '27 mounted loosely on a common shaft28 at the feeding end of the machine, andfbeing driven sprockets 29 all on a, power actuated shaftBO j ournaled in the machine frame;

20 near the knife bedyso that sheetsof veneer laid on chains 26 will be conveyed under the knife for, jointin as will be described.

In order better to hold the sheets ofveneer uponchains 26 and prevent slipping, several.

chains-31 (Figs. 1 and 4) -may be sup-ported; 1

, above table 23 sothat th'eir i lower courses run adjacent to and are driven synchronously? with thefeeding-in chains.. zby, means of;

shaft 31? which is driven by sprocket chain connection 31 (Fig, 2); Insteadof such' hold-down means, various other arrangements may be employed, one of which will inclinedas sho vnfin Figure {Land has sl t orchain races 32 (Fig, for thefeeding out chains The latter are meshed with 4 idler sprockets 34- loosely' mounted on a shaft on the line5-r5 of Figure 4, showing a sheet a of veneer held upon the off-bearing table;.

35 journa1ed in frame 20 and disposedon '33 are driven inrthe same direction as chains Qdby sprockets 36 fixed on shaft 37 and shaft ,37 is rotated by means of a sprocket,

(Fig.3) driven from: the powershaft 39;. e

noted 1 that the feeding-out chains, travel under the knifefwhich is in; dicated at 40. The knife 40 15: reciprocated r V vertically by any suitable mechanism such as eccentric arms 41 (Figs. 2 and 8), pivotally connected at their upper ends to the knife,

and joined" to: eccentrics 42-- on the power.

driven shaft $8.; Vertical guides for the knife are provided as seen 1n Figs. 2 and 2?.

The cutting bed for the knife isshown in.

elevation; in Figure 9 and comprises principally a cast iron frame 441- having. a vertical flange 45, broken by slots or gaps 46, through which the feeding-out chains-rain. The flange 45 projects upwardly intermedi ate the side faces of the frame so that ledge or seat 47 is Provided for hardwood .filler strips 4'8 held against flange 45 by bolts or the like and backing barsi). There I is one filler strip 48 secured between each pair of slots 46, and these filler strips serve as an anvil for-the knlfe when it descends to cut the veneer, as best shown in Thus theknife edge 1s not blunted or turned by jointing.

It will be evident that the feeding out chains 33 must be removedfrom. the path a ofthe knife before each cut, and one offthe races .50 is merely illustrative. v

the same result may; be obtained by impartadapted to move the veneer toward and many mechanisms for effecting this result 'is shown in the drawings, Figs. 4, 6i and 7.

For each chain 33 there is provideda guide or race 50' secured to shaft 51'; This shaft is rocked axially by means of'a rockfarm 52 mounting a roller 53 which rides over a cain54 secured. upon shaft The shaft 55 is rotated only during ascent and descent of the knife, and the cam 54 is. so placed that it causes the race or guide 50 to rock counter- 35 clockwise when the knife moves down wardly, and to rock clockwise when the knife moves upwardly. The rocking of races=50 causes the chains 33 to move down out of the way of the knife before the cut is made;

The described meansfor moving the chain ing to the-races a rectilinear or reciprocatory movement, or even by employing r0tary1motion. The essentialfl'thing is that the feed lng-out chains, Wl11"l1 run directly under,

the knife, be removed. from any possible contact withthe knlf'e edge.

Veneer jointers employing conveyer chains from. the knife are so constructed that the kn fe 1s stationary, except when the operator causes 1t to descend to make a cut; and

"1 when the knife is put in motion, the conveyer chainsare stopped so that the knife joints a stationarysheet of veneer.- My 111- prefertoa use airsuction means tohold the haustjfan overcomes the momentum of Obviously veneer sheets -firmly on us feeding-out chains-33, and may employ air suction in connect on with the 'feed1n'-.1n chains, in

substitution for the hold down chains 31.

Air suction has been found to prevent slippin of the veneer sheets. on thQClIELlHS, For an understanding'ofi my jin'iproved suction means, Figs.-

and 5 should hen ted.

The off bearing table is constructed so as tos-upport a vacuum chamber 56 below its top 24.. In Order to maintain a partial vacuum in chamber 56, a pipe 5? may lead from the bottom thereoffto an. exhaust fan (not-shown), or a, vacuumlpump could be employed. lfireferably the top of the vacuum chamber 56 is formed by the table top,

at and} said top carries races 58 to'support' and gu de the crmveycr or feeding -out chains Now whue wire cable or narrow belts could be usedin place oflink-chains as the feed ng-out means, I find that chains are much to be preferred, particularly those having flat links, so that the sh ets of veneer can rest fiat on them with. no appreciable spaces between the under side ofthe veneer sheets andfithe upper sides of the chains Preferably adjacent the two outermost chain races 58' are openings. 59jextending the full length of the vacuum chamber, sothat. the

suction ofjsaid' chamber acts on the sheet of veneer carried by the chains to hold the sheet firmly, whereby when the chains start and stop, as they'do during; the operation of the jointer, th'eiveneer sheets start and' stop alsor' in'otherwords,the suction'of the e veneertsheets, and permits accurate control of the "positions of sa d sheets, hence accurate. omt ng, -Obv1ously,fas many, openings 59 may beemployed asare necessary to hold the veneer firmly on the conveyor chains.

The present invention is an improvement on the veneer jointer described and claimed.

in my co pending application, Serial No.

520,10e, filed December 5th, 1921 which has eventuated in Patent my 2, 1923.. V I p In the operation of the presentm'achine. the knife is .reciprocated' continuously as 1,4i0,883, dated Jannlong as the machine in operation. Tue

movment of the knife is controlled by a clutch and when theknife clutch is disengaged, the machine stops operating. When the.

the knife has advanced preferably about 7 1 inches on its up stroke, the clutc'rcontrolling movement of the veneer conveying chains is engaged, and the veneer is fed under the knife until the knife is within 1 inches of the cutting bed' of the machine,

when a trip finger disengages theclutch that drivesthe veneer feedichains. The particular mechanism by which these results are obtained forms no part-of the present inven tion An important feature of this invention is.

' tion.

7 What is claimed is that they conveyer chains run under the jointerknife. The feeding-in chains bringthe veneer sheets onlyup'to the knife; and feeding-out chains as previously used have had their inner ends spaced from the dis charge ends of the feeding-in chains. Mv

arrangement, unlike others known to me, puts the veneer sheets, regardless of their size, always in contact Wlth the conveyer chains, and the veneer. sheets are started and [stopped when the conveyer chains are started and stopped. This makes it possible to joint thelast piece of'veneerv that is loeing jointed from a veneer sheet as accurately in width as any of the other'pieces. In short, myimproved machine gives an oper perfect control of the jointing operaator While I hav'e desc'ribed in some detail a preferred embodiment of my invention, obviously Iam not to1be: limited-to the i1l us'-' trative apparatus :discloSedm Y 1. In a machine of the class described, comprising a pair of oonveyors, ja knife above one of said conveyors, one of said conveyors arranged to conduct material to be cut toWardthe knife, and the other con veyor arranged toconduct the material under the knife tobesevered and the'n to com duct the severed pieces away fromthe knife,

7 and independentmeansto' hold'the material against slipping on each of said conveyors,

said means'including suction apparatus arranged below the conveyor for conducting;

the several pieces under and away from the knife. I I y A veneer omtercomprismg, 1ncombination, a supporting frame, a knife mounted on the frame, afeeding-inzconveyorj arranged to conduct material to becuttoward} the knife, means --to hold a the material v against slipping on the feeding-in conveyor,-

an' intermittently movablefeeding-out con- I veyor having a portion arranged under the knife and adapted to conduct-the material under theknife to be severed and then away from the knife, and suction; apparatus op;

V eratively arranged below thefeeding-put conveyor to hold the severed sheets: against ng when the CQl'lVeYorL1 tartedslippi stopped;

'3. In a veneer jointer,*a 'reciprocatory knife, a pair of intermittently movable feed- P ing-out conveyor chains. for conducting sev' ered sheets away from thefknife, and" a conveyer means for the same purpose. I 8. Ina vene'en omter, the comblnation ofoperativeto hold the sheets stationary on the conveyor while th'eknife'is functioning and to prevent slipping. when the'conveyorf'v is started.

5. In a veneer jointe'r, a bearing oif table, an intermittently movable conveyor running over said table, and a source of suction arranged below the table and independent of the conveyor operative to hold severed veneer sheets on the conveyor while trav-f ersing the table, whereby to overcome the *inertia of said sheets and to prevent slip the" conveyor is started and ping when stopped.

6. In a Ven'eerjointer, a knife, means for conveying a sheetof veneer'up to the knife,

an endless conveyor for carrying the veneer away from the knlfe, and lndependent means associated with each'conveyer means for preventing slipping of the veneer'sheets;

when thecon'veyer hie-ans are started and stopped; j V; 1 i ,5 7. Ina-veneer jointer, a knife, means for conveying afslie'et' of veneer up to the knife, means for carrying the veneer away from the knife, a hold-down chainrunning above the first conveying means to prevent slipg ping ofth'e sheets ofveneer thereon, and

airv suction means associated with the second a vertically reciprocatory.knife, feeding-in mechanism operatingto deliver veneer sheets adjacent the knife, feeding-out'm'echanism including an endless conveyor adapted to support the'sheets where the feedingin mecha'nism" drops them and to carry the J sheets underthe knife to be cutand-then out of the machine and means to 'move the endless conveyor out -of the path of the knife whenthe knife is actuated; 1

9. In a veneer ointer, a feeding-in conveyer chain a knife reciprocatory adjacent 1 ing out conveyer chain movable underthe the delivery enidfoffs'ai'd chain, and a feed-= knife and adapted to carry the veneer both before and after jointing v I 10. In a veneer jointer, a feeding-out veneer conveyer normally moving "in the path 5 11;; said conveyer out of the path of' the l cnife of the jointer-knife, and means for moving when the latter "is actuated-L 11.: Ina veneer jointerjchains adapted to carry veneer sheets ;under' the jointer knife and out ofthe-machine, means for supporting saidchains directly'underthe knife, land I 7 means for moving thecham'supports, where: Y

' the chains are removed fromcontact with the kn fe when" 1t descends to ointv the veneer.

12. In a veneer jointeiga feeding-in con-"L veyer chain, a knife reciprocatory adjacent f the delivery e'nd ofsaid chain. an'da feed ing-outconveyer. chain movable under the knife and adaptedto car ry the veneer both I atl,

before and afterjointing, and .means for,

cal ihg said feeding-out cjo ive er chain to; descen out of the. path of-the k1 rte when-- the latter is actuated."

13; In; a veneer jointe-r, a tee l ngmnt veneer conveyernormal 1 movin the path, ot thejiointer ,means operte, air. sue

the latter is. actuatedg I 114-; Ignaveneer joint-er, chains adapte l;{t, o atty nee hc s under; he Wkfi'if' kn and out of the machine, air suction means? operative to 1areve1it; slipping; of; the veneer sheets on the c "h n started; and stopped, means} directly; under the knife,

SUPPQL h and nrea s-ior mow ing, the -cha,in -supports;, whereby the cha n5 are ,nemoved; from cQntactj ith -t-he k-nrtc when it descends to o'1n t the; veneem s 7 15. In a veneer 1o1nter, a Vri3lCtl-ly".l@*

' ci-procahle lzni-ite a plurality of horizontally tween the discharge ends; ofthe-feeding n, chains, and lndependent means associated, with each conveyer for preventing sh pping ing inchains.

running; conveyor chain-s adapted to support andc-arry'veneersheets up toa point adjar cent thepath-of the; knife, andiaplurality of synchronously driven chains, each disposedg directly'over one of the conveyer-ch ai ns and adapted to ,holddownthe veneer; sheets-upon the conveyer chai-nsto prevent slippingwhen th chainsare suddenly started and stopped.

, 1.6. Inaweneerfjointer,a-ver-ticarly reciproca b-le knife-1a,. plurality of veneenconve r ns chainsadap ed ppe d; sheetsvof veneer unto-the knife-a dj there;

discharge them,- and a plurality offeedinge out conveymg chains having-'t'he r nner ends between thedischarge lends; of the feedingein,

chains; and passing; unden-the knife;

17. In a'veneer-jointena vertically recap rocahle knife, a; plurality of'veneer; conveying chainsadapted tosupport and carrying sheets of veneer-uptov theiknife and there discharge them,;a nd a plurality, of feeding-- o v y Cha ns h vin hei vinne ends etwe he d cha ee end he ie dmgai n; chains, each of the fee'd -ngf out' cha nsrunhing under-the knifef and adapted to pick: up

the veneer sheets-before leavethe; feed- 18; Ina veneer jointerfa verticallvrjeciprocable knife, a pluralityof veneer conveying' chains adapted-to. supporh and carry sheets: of veneer; up to the knife and; there,

dischare them a, lural'it of 'feedin Rout p 7 a i i conveying chains havlngtheir 1nne ends-he {6 to preventslipping; ot-"the; vene sheets: on; said: conveyer, and 3 me ans to r 11f1OVl11g Sfi11Cl conveyer out of the-path'of-theknife when id hains the top of; hetahleeavacuum chambenundefr, the table,- sa-id chains having; fiat linksu wherehvthcl veneer sheets rest flat 'on t tops:'of;-the-;chainS; and openings oaeach side" of; the table; adjacent; the outermost chains and leadi-n toQthei-ntelibr of: ,the'vacuiun:

chamber, Wherehv. the suction theicoitt holds the-veneer upon; t 1e; chains:

21. In veneer join-ten a j ointer knife, a table,-, avacuum: Chamber ha-vin g; its 1501) formed hy; the table, races provided in said top, feeding chains supported and'guidedhyj said-races and proj ecting above therepel"- the chanahensjaidchana-her h'aving ope illg'S extending the full-f length of thevacuu'nfi' chamber, and means fer, prod'uicinga vacuum in said-chamber. I r 1; 7

2-2, In a veneer jointer, ado-inter knife,1a veneer conveyingzchain movable under the knife, race adapted to support a part; of, said chain,- and means; for causii'ig the race to. move out of t-h-ejpathof; the. knife; 7

23, In a veneer jointer, a jointer knife, a veneer; conveying. chain movable" under the knife-,- a race adapted to; support part: 0ft said;chain, a-1" "means for; causingthe race to-- -1nove;outfo the path of the; knife, said race inovingnaean's: being-operated synchronousl-y; tvith' the k-nife. V 1

2.4. In; a 'veneel-i ointer, a jointeii kn i3te a conveying chain torvene'er sheets normally lnOVingt i-ni the path-{of the knife-,- a support for" the chain disposed beneath the knife, means-whereby the; kni;te'.descends to joint the: vene'en when thechain; is stopped, and means for rno-ving the chain support? to remove the chain from the path of: the knife whenthe'knife descends;

I 25,. In a: veneer oint-er, a. ointerf knife,- a conveying chain ior eneer sheets normally movingin the path: oi; the knife, fan oscil-. lfy: ch in raceror: the cha'inidisposed he n'eaththe knife}, means whereby the knife descends to joint? the veneer Whenthe: chain. iswstop ped; and means. for movinpjthe chain race to remove the chain from the path of? the knife: when the knife; descends.

Inn

2 6.5111 a1veneer jointer, a jointed; --knife, a f

conveyingcha-in for veneer; sheets normally moving; in the pat'h of the knife, a, support forthe chain 'dijsp'osed beneath the wknife, ineansw-herehy the-knife descends to joint the-veneer: when the chain is; stopped, and

means-tor moVing -the chain support to renovethe chain from the path of the knife when the knife descends, said latter named aera ed n m iii 'ine-ae iafte e i t iie ee roin the on1ta L rocker, arrn o ned to the-shaft and a-ro-.,

to cause swinging of the rocker arm and consequently oscillation of the chain race.

27. In a veneer 'jointer, a knife, means for vertically reciprocating the-same, feedingout chains traveling underthe knife, a race adapted to support apart of thechains ad jacent' the knife, means for, stopping the chains before the knife descends to joint the means for holding each filleiagainst said,

flange;

29. In a veneer jointer, a vertically reciprocating knife, an intermittently movable feeding-in conveyor including a. plurality of "parallel endless chains operative to. bring the sheets under the knife, the feeding ends of the chains terminating in front of the knife,

and a plurality of endless chains arranged above the first-mentionedchains for holding the sheets against slipping When the conveyor is started and stopped.

30. In a veneer jointer, a table, a recipro eating knife supported above the table, an

intermittently movable, endless feeding-iin conveyor arranged to engage the under side of veneer stock on the table top, driving mechanism for said endless conveyor below I the table top, and means forhholding down the stock to prevent slipping on said feed-' ing-in conveyor including an e1idless'conveyor above the table'having itslovver strand engaging the veneer stock.

' 31. In a. (veneer winter, a reciprocating cutter, a feeding-in table adjacent to thecutter, a plurality of parallel endless conveyors associated Witlrsaid table each having a p'ortion guided to travel along the table top and arranged to engage the under side of a sheet of veneer stock, hold-down means cooperatl ing With said endless'conveyors on the table including flexible endless conveyors arranged entirely above the table and each having a lower span or stretch above the correspond? iug conveyor on the table, said hold-down" endless conveyors being slack to permit said lower stretches to rest freely uponvthe upper side of the veneer stock, and means forvdrivlng all of saidconveyors at the same speed.

In testimony, tl1at I claim the foregoing I as my oW'n,-I have hereto affixed my signature.

ORIN I o. FEVNLASO'N. 

